SHORTS PROGRAM | 93 MINS

These three powerful documentaries explore the complex interconnections of race, culture, religion, sexuality, and community among Black and Latinx queer folks across Chicago. The stories are ultimately ones of triumph and inspiration, even if real challenges remain. In SEGUIMOS AQUÍ (WE’RE STILL HERE): PRIDE, PANDEMIC, AND PERSEVERANCE, four LGBTQ+ identifying Latinx Chicagoans navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, interpersonal struggles, and community triumphs throughout a turbulent yet powerful 2020. CHOC is a sensitive portrait of Aubrey “Choc” Muldrow, who grew up in a religious family on the Southside of Chicago and knew he was gay from an early age. He discusses the taunts, threats, and violence from his family, his church, and his neighborhood; his attempts to deny his sexuality; and, finally, his moving past to accept himself and live his own truth. The experimental anthology docuseries MANIFOLD features the life stories of Black LGBTQ people across Chicago and embraces a positive, joyful approach to exploring the diverse ways local individuals are celebrating and affirming their own lives and experiences and building relationships that expand beyond just themselves. The collaborative and open approach to the production of the series mirrors this goal. SHORTS PROGRAM | 93 MINS